1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,440 Speaker 1: And we told you yesterday about the situation where we 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: know that there was a case of measles detected in 3 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:08,640 Speaker 1: the Greater Darwin region with Territorians being worn to be 4 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:12,639 Speaker 1: on a lush for signs and symptoms. Now joining us 5 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:16,599 Speaker 1: live on the line right now is the director of 6 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,599 Speaker 1: the Center of Disease Control, Vicky Krauss. Good morning to you. 7 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 2: Good morning now. 8 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,920 Speaker 1: Doctor Krass, tell me what is the situation with this 9 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: with this case of the measles in the Northern Territory. 10 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 2: Well, this is a case that was probably most infectious 11 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 2: about a week ago. So we want to just make 12 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 2: sure that people who know that they were in the 13 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 2: vicinity where he was at that time are aware of 14 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 2: those places and so I will go through them. But 15 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:50,559 Speaker 2: really we want people to know that almost all the 16 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 2: cases of measles that have been introduced into Australia over 17 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 2: the past three, four or five months since people have 18 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 2: been traveling more overseas have been from overseas travels, so 19 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 2: that really anybody who is traveling overseas needs to be 20 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 2: immune to measles because it is such an infectious disease 21 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 2: and a really short term encounter or in a shared 22 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:16,040 Speaker 2: space with someone who has measles puts you at risk 23 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 2: if you're not immune. 24 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, and so so this person had been overseas 25 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: by the look of things, Well, where do we suspect 26 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:25,759 Speaker 1: that they'd contracted measles? 27 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 2: Yes, so they had been. This is a Northern Territorian 28 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 2: who was traveling over to Indonesia, and so it was 29 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 2: in Indonesia that we feel that the person acquired the disease. 30 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 2: And it's on the flight from Darwin I cans that 31 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 2: he then died after that and then coming back that 32 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 2: we feel that he was in a time that could 33 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 2: have been most infectious. So I just will mention those flights. 34 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 2: That's Air North flight TL one six from Diamond to Cairns. 35 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 2: It also had a touchdown and go as it happens, 36 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 2: So that was on a Friday, the twenty fourth of January, 37 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 2: and then coming back from Cans on an Air North 38 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 2: t L one six one, so Darwin to Cans to 39 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 2: Darwin also with one of those touchdown stopovers in Gove 40 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 2: on Monday the twenty seventh of January. So then also 41 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 2: when they were they were also at the airport on 42 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 2: that twenty seventh and you know in the baggage area 43 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 2: collecting luggage and so for about an hour period four 44 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 2: pm to five pm on that Monday to twenty seventh 45 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 2: of January, they would have been in the airport. But 46 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 2: again I just want to say that most people, if 47 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 2: you're traveling overseas and you're spending time in airports, you're 48 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 2: at risk. So if this is why we're just really 49 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 2: encouraging people to know that they're immune to measles, and 50 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 2: to do that you have to have two measles containing 51 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 2: vaccines on board, and so that's very important. 52 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, So, doctor Krauss, since you know, since this case 53 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 1: was obviously you know, it became since we became aware 54 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 1: of this case, have you had many people come forward 55 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: concerned that they're in they'd been in contact with him. 56 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 2: So what happened was this was diagnosed this past Friday 57 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 2: and quickly went into action here to just where we 58 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 2: did know that there were contacts make contact with people. 59 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 2: So there were about one hundred and fifty people contacted 60 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 2: to either ensure that they were immune or to direct 61 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 2: them to where they could get their muscles vaccines or 62 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 2: answer their questions and then give them information should they 63 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 2: develop the symptoms. And we have had people call since then, 64 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 2: and that's why we're doing the media so that people 65 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 2: can protect themselves, and I guess just so that people 66 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:54,839 Speaker 2: know that. What we say is that if you were 67 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 2: born before nineteen sixty six, which means you're fifty ninety 68 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 2: sixty years older over, you probably have already been exposed 69 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 2: to measles or had measles. But if you're born in 70 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 2: the next thirty years, so from nineteen ninety two to 71 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 2: nineteen sixty five, so if you're over thirty three to 72 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,360 Speaker 2: fifty nine or sixty years old, you possibly only had 73 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 2: one measles vaccine because that's what was given during those 74 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 2: that time period. But you actually need two measles containing 75 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 2: vaccines to be immune. So we would say, if you 76 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 2: can't confirm that you've had a second measles vaccine, go 77 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 2: along and get that vaccine now. 78 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 1: So to those out there listening this morning who maybe 79 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:40,840 Speaker 1: don't know much about measles, just how serious is at. 80 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 2: Well, it is a serious disease and that people become 81 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 2: quite unwell. It's a highly infectious illness and it usually 82 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 2: comes on with a fever, a cough, or red eyes, 83 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 2: and that's what we call the prodrome and so you 84 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 2: don't really know you have it because the rash hasn't 85 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 2: started yet. And then two to four days into these 86 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 2: symptoms you get a rash with starts on your face 87 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 2: and your neck and works down through your body. There 88 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,039 Speaker 2: can be complications of it. You can go on to 89 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 2: have pneumonia or severe ear problems, and so it's certainly 90 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 2: a disease to avoid. It can land people in hospital, 91 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 2: and so we really work hard to make sure that 92 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 2: people are immune. And so again it's just important to 93 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 2: check your immune status. And if you can't be sure 94 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 2: that you've had two measles containing vaccines so usually called mmrs, 95 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,160 Speaker 2: you should go along to your GP or community care 96 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:47,039 Speaker 2: center or abitual health service to get that vaccine or 97 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:48,600 Speaker 2: participating pharmacies. 98 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 1: KI. How long has it been since we had a 99 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 1: case here in the Northern territory of the measles. 100 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 2: Well, it's been quite a while. It's been five years. 101 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 2: Our last case was just before COVID, so twenty nineteen, 102 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 2: and then obviously people stopped going overseas and so we 103 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 2: weren't getting cases being brought back from overseas travel. So 104 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 2: it has been five years, and every other state and 105 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 2: territory has had a case in the past three or 106 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 2: four or five months, so we were kind of thinking, 107 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 2: we expect that there will be a case, and so 108 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,480 Speaker 2: people have been prepared and we've been trying to encourage 109 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 2: people to make sure they check their vaccine status before 110 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 2: they travel. 111 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: Now, just in terms of the kids, and I know 112 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: you sort of touched on this, but for young people, 113 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 1: it is included in their regular vaccinations, isn't it. 114 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 2: That's correct, So at twelve months and eighteen months, that's 115 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 2: on their childhood immunization schedule. So if they're up to 116 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 2: date with their vaccines, they should be well covered. But 117 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 2: again it's really the older the middle aged. It's the 118 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 2: older adults who are at more at risk. 119 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 1: Well. The director of the Center for Disease Controlled, doctor 120 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: Vicki Krauss, I really appreciate your time this morning. Thank 121 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: you very much for talking us through that case and 122 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: what territorians need to do. Thank you, thanks so much 123 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:14,119 Speaker 1: for your time.